Jewish organizations disturbed by archdiocese's support of Hebrew Catholics [CC]

[Catholic_Press]

Local Jewish leaders are disturbed by the Archdiocese of St. Louis’s support for the Association of Hebrew Catholics, an organization that works to preserve the identity and heritage of Catholics of Jewish origin within the Church. The association was welcomed into the archdiocese by Archbishop Raymond Burke in 2006; Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann and the rector of the cathedral basilica will offer Mass at the group’s October conference.

More…

 

[Dale_M]

The article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, on which the CatholicCulture.org article was partially based, has some tidbits of interest to CAF members.

Archbishop Burke welcomed David Moss, and his Association of Hebrew Catholics to St. Louis. He even attended a non-traditional Seder hosted by Mr. Moss.

Archbishop Burke has been appointed to sit on three of the nine Vatican “congregations” that guide the Catholic Church. Two of those appointments have come this month. The pope is likely to elevate Burke to cardinal this fall.

An additional tidbit is that David Moss is the brother of Rosalind Moss, who is (or was at one time) a staff apologist at Catholic Answers. She has established a religious order, Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope. It too was welcomed, by Archbishop Burke, to settle its headquarters in St. Louis. (This comes, not from the Post Dispatch, but from a blog which interviewed her.)

Archbishop Burke, when asked by the Post-Dispatch, declined to comment on the Association of Hebrew Catholics.

 

[Dale_M]

Okay… that was the Burke connection. Now onto the main part of the news.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Lawrence Welch, executive director of the archdiocese’s office of ecumenical and interreligious affairs, said “the Gospel is for everyone, but the Catholic Church doesn’t specifically target Jews with proselytization.”

Welch makes a distinction between evangelizing and proselytizing, which he described as “nonethical ways of seeking the conversion of others, or arm-twisting.”

“My understanding of the group is that they do not target Jews for conversion,” Welch said of the Association of Hebrew Catholics. “That’s what they’ve told the leadership of the archdiocese. They’re in good standing with the archdicoese. Bishop Hermann wouldn’t be there if they weren’t.”

The prospect of Catholic conversion of Jews brings to mind some unfortunate history, such as the expulsion of all Jews from Spain, under Queen Isabella. And the subsequent Spanish Inquisition which searched for persons who converted to Catholicism, but secretly maintained their Jewish faith.

And, of course, there is the sad, long history of the persecution of Jews in Europe. Especially during the Middle Ages, they were penalized and abused in a number of ways. This didn’t directly involve the Catholic Church, but the Church looked the other way during a period when its power and influence was much greater than in modern times.

My understanding is that until Vatican II, Catholic-Jewish relations were not good. These relations have slowly been improving, but there is still Jewish distrust of their larger, more powerful neighbor.

Its a touchy subject. And perhaps one which will be revisited a few times when Archbishop Burke becomes a cardinal, and his influence becomes more extensive.

 

[ConfusedTim]

The prospect of Catholic conversion of Jews brings to mind some unfortunate history, such as the expulsion of all Jews from Spain, under Queen Isabella. And the subsequent Spanish Inquisition which searched for persons who converted to Catholicism, but secretly maintained their Jewish faith

The strange thing is that many of the Jews migrated to Rome -suggesting to me that they clearly were not afraid of the Catholic church but more the zealousness of the local Spanish authorities.